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Facets of this Hidden Jewel

by | Feb 14, 2018 | Missions Articles

This island of refuge to many, Cyprus is a hidden jewel in the Mediterranean. This nation that has been conquered and changed hands so many times still has its problems today, though the Lord’s plans for her are higher. In working in the Middle East on what our network refers to as the Isaiah 19 highway reconciliation is a key portion of what we help to facilitate. This is what my story touches on.

First a little background. Cyprus is the island off the coast of the Middle East below Turkey. The island since 1974 has been divided, with Greek Cypriots living in the south and Turkish Cypriots living in the North. Put incredibly simply, this division was caused when Turkey sent troops into the northern part of Cyprus to prevent Cyprus from joining with Greece. This caused many to have to flee their homes just one generation ago, so you can imagine that the pain, for many is still very raw. For many years there has been not only division in the nation, but in the body of Christ. With the northern part of the island being Muslim the amount of believers there is a small number, but growing.

With our vision for seeing the highway of worship and prayer the Lord tells Isaiah about in chapter 19 come to fruition, we desire to see Cyprus come into a knowledge that as a part of the Assyrian empire at the time of Isaiah’s writing that they have a part to play in this highway of worship and reconciliation. We decided with a group of workers and Cypriot believers to host an event to bring more attention to this calling on the nation.

In September 2017 at a hotel in the world’s last divided capital, Nicosia, we held a day-long event of prayer and worship with a short teaching on Cyprus and the highway in Isaiah 19. The day was filled with worship in Greek, English and Turkish.

With the enmity between the two sides high still in the nation as it was only a generation ago that many Cypriots had to leave their homes for their respective sides. There were times of repentance and prayer together with workers and Cypriots, and those from each side of the island coming together.

The highlight of this time was though some of the feedback we got afterwards. One of the workers from the northern part of the island, after the Turkish worship had finished, a Greek Cypriot pastor took his arm and said to him, at the edge of tears, “Never have I ever worshipped my Jesus in Turkish.”

Even now as I type it, this brings tears to my eyes as I’ve seen the anger at the respective sides of the island bring out such hatred and bitterness. The Lord has a plan for this island and for the Middle East and His spirit is able to break down these walls of division and anger. We are seeing those in the body refusing to allow these, age old hostilities keep them apart. We are seeing Greeks and Turks, Cypriots, and Arabs and Jews stand with each other in Christ and we are seeing the one new man the Lord promised beginning to come into who they will be. Please continue your prayers for the believers in the Middle East, it may not be making the news but they are making changes in hearts possible.

If you want more information on the division in Cyprus or other insights to the Middle East you can see my blog: https://wanderingintheme.wordpress.com

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